Last chance for Vail Oktoberfest

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VAIL --Munich comes to the Vail Village this weekend to continue the world's greatest celebration of beer, music and autumn in Vail: Oktoberfest. The event will see another full weekend of blown-out Bavarian fun including the return of many crowd favorites like the Klement's Bratwurst Eating Contests and Beck's Keg Bowling. Emulating the age-old celebration known all over the world, Vail Oktoberfest in Vail Village will delight guests with Bavarian music and dancing, traditional fare, yodeling, alpenhorn blowing, beverages from Beck's and Jagermeister and much more.

Things kick off Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. when the event opens, and guests will enjoy live oom-pah music from Helmut Fricker and the Rhinelanders Band starting at 5:30 p.m. Helmut and the band will be on hand throughout the weekend to keep the crowd going with favorite Oktoberfest tunes.

Beck's Keg Bowling is back both Saturday and Sunday, giving anyone interested in the game the chance to hurl a keg shell on wheels down the lane at a pyramid of keg shells with the intention of bringing down the pile. The top competitors from the first round of the competition move on the final round of Beck's Keg Bowling, where the champion of the day will be crowned and prizes awarded. There is no cost to participate in the game and competitors can sign up each day at the Oktoberfest token booth nearest to the stage. Participants must be at least 21 years old to compete.

Saturday and Sunday in Vail will also see the return of the Bratwurst Eating Contests, where the strong-willed and the strong-stomached battle it out to see who can down the most brats in three minutes. There is no cost to participate in the contests, which happen both days, and competitors can sign up at the Oktoberfest token booth in nearest to the stage. The competitor who wolfs down the most brats in the allotted time wins not only a great prize package, but the bragging rights of being a 2012 Bratwurst Eating Contest champ. Participants of all ages are invited.

Two new contests have been added to the lineup of entertainment for Vail Oktoberfest: the Bavarian Costume Contests and Stein Lift Contests. Guests who show up for the day in full Bavarian flare or in another Oktoberfest related costume will be invited to participate in the Oktoberfest Costume Contests on Saturday and Sunday. All ages are invited to participate in the costume contests. The winner will be determined by crowd response and will take home an Oktoberfest stein and token package. The Stein Lift Contests, which were a huge hit last weekend in Lionshead,test the arm strength and stamina of competitors who will hold a full beer stein out from their body at shoulder level. The last person standing with arm outstretched will take home an Oktoberfest prize package. The Stein Lift Contest will take place on Saturday and Sunday and there is no cost to participate. Participants in the Stein Lift Contest must be at least 21 years of age and can sign up at the Oktoberfest token booth.

On Saturday, the party goes into the night with a free concert from FC Funk Band. Vail Oktoberfest is a family affair, and the event features a Kids' Activity Area, including crafts, balloon animals and more. Kids and families alike are also invited to participate in the Vail Summit Orthopaedics Oktoberfest Fun Run, benefitting the Children's Garden of Learning. The event features a 5K and Kids' 1K. The Fun Run happens on Sunday morning at 9 a.m.; information can be found online at www.vail-oktoberfest.com.